Of Annihilation and Absolution
by Okkomuri
Summary: Short story set in an AU, focusing on Kaguya's ruminations and preparations for the invading Otsutsuki threat. Set post-Shippuden and before Kawaki and Boruto's fight in a ruined Konoha. Focused on the internal works of the God Tree, those souls within it, and cross-dimensional spacetimes.
1. Chapter One

Author's Note: To clarify any confusion about the Kaguya represented in this story, I am going off a theory presented in my other story, The Place Where Souls Collide. In it, the Rabbit Goddess tore her soul apart from her body, and this empty shell is what her sons and Naruto & Sasuke fought. The reason in doing this was to buy her more time against a parasite (one that affects both the physical body and chakra itself, and the theory is that the Black Zetsu is a self-aware manifestation of this parasitic tool) that was originally forced upon her by the other Otsutsuki (at least as a failsafe of sorts). Thus, her thoughts here are those of herself apart from its manipulation, hence the desire to protect those souls in the God Tree outside of simply what power they may provide (think spiritual energy from the soul as a component of chakra).

...

Author's Note: Clarification of Speaker Identity

**_God Tree Thinking/Telepathy_**

'_Kaguya Thinking/Telepathy_'

_Both (God Tree and Kaguya) Thinking/Telepathy_

'Character Thinking/Telepathy'

_._

,...(o).../

_Tepid. Weak._

There was a slow numbness prickling at the back of her mind, drumming in constant rhythm. Singular in the muted void, the Otsutsuki reviewed her preparations, her debts, and the single err that had so set the seedbed into a roil.

Torrents of information streamed into her mind, deeply entwined as she was with the God Tree and the innumerous souls held within.

**_There is not enough time, nor capacity.._**

"Tch,"

A grimace and the click of tongue against tooth and cheek, underdeveloped as it was.

**_The only solution is-_**

'_I will not collapse dimensions of such_ _value,_' the words came vehemently. _**There is no other path,**_ the collective consciousness of the God Tree insisted - it had run more than enough simulations, over 6.91x10 to the 25th. **_You would bring us all to ruin. _**'_No..._' There had to be something, a way forward without such egregious loss.

It didn't matter that these were universes apart from their own, every soul held value, each soul merit. Kaguya could not ascribe herself to any other belief.

That thought... certainly, it would bring the inhabitants of this world distress to so much as consider.

_**There is no other path.**_

'_Not that you can see,_' the Rabbit Goddess reiterated, '_Source will provide clarification._'

In the silence that followed, a sense of frustrated unease coursed into her heart. _Too much time has passed._

'_Run the simulation with full adversity, limit checks, and boosted providence.'_

The answer would be the same. But then, even the God Tree had limitations to its own perception of All Creation.

[ O ]

"It doesn't matter if-" words caught on the rushed wind, streaking past as two figures sped along the grassy knoll. "The Vector won't have it any other way," another sounded with tired certainty, "we just have to trust in her Foresight." Aadi noticed the turn of Eva's heel, the telltale dip in speed as her heading shifted. He pushed energy into his calves, rising gracefully into the air and over her intended interception.

"Come on!" The young looking girl protested from behind him, "You shouldn't make distractions, then!"

Their destination was a particular superstructure, an intersection of dimensional planes and the points from which to access them. Slowing to a halt on a fringed cliff, Aadi allowed his companion to reach the vantage point. "Huh... you know, I never will get used to that," the female spoke with cautious admiration. A silence held between them, before the first shifted, "Let's go."

**_You are close. Follow the angle of declination towards Tau Ceti, on for 75 pc. Set synchronicity to 443.5 Hz. _**

The superstructure comprised of things that were and were not entirely in their given reality, or universe. Terminology could easily lead to confusion, but almost everyone that woke up and found themselves here - and chose to stay awake - learned the proper words and their meaning soon after.

It had been... thirteen cycles ago? Aadi wasn't entirely sure anymore, and it was rare for him to even consider the world as it was when he had come from it.

That didn't mean that he was at peace... rather, the young man's soul was afraid. Afraid for what would happen to those here, and those on the other side, should the enemy- "'Ey, that's not the quickest path!" Eva alerted him, "Uh... right," it was rare for his thoughts to distract him so much. But yes, their current task was a bit time-sensitive indeed. That usually wasn't the case.

A few moments passed before his companion spoke again, "So..." she earned no response. "Aaaadiiiii," the younger huffed, "What?" He tried not to sound annoyed.

"Well, what's it like? You've been out before-" "We're never _really_ out," he countered. That set the girl still. "Right, but you've seen it."

The boy continued walking, down and down the jagged path.

"The way they travel," her words caused him to slow. "It's only a shadow," Aadi countered. "Yes," the cheerful, if naive, one bounced down to him - as much as she could with the sharp edges, "But even shadows tell us something." Her smile scared him, and another, strange reaction: he was irritated, almost a bit upset by her fresh view of it all.

"This isn't a game," Aadi's tone shifted, "I know," she answered, "That's exactly why I want to learn."

,...(o).../

The results varied widely now, though statistically speaking, there wasn't much confidence. **_Irrelevant,_** the God Tree surmised, leaving Kaguya to her own thoughts on the matter. '_Every opportunity,_' she began, '_every chance that we have, from all perspectives, should be taken._' Silence was her answer. It wasn't that the being disagreed, but rather it simply did not believe that relying on providence so heavily was worth distracting from other efforts.

'_How are the commissions faring?_' The change of subject served to stifle this perturbance in them, _**Poorly. Five have yet to complete, of those that have, rejection, silence, or inaccuracies are the results.**_ There were fifteen worlds within multiversal communications range, three were completely closed off no matter what they could do. Of those that remained, to hear that some had chosen hatred or fear... '_Inaccuracies?_' The Goddess asked for clarification, **_The clusters that are proximal to these are__ damaged. _**It meant that their surveys and efforts would more than likely continue to err.

'_Continuing beyond these efforts...__would end in attracting unwanted attention._' The enemy would surely take notice... in fact, what she was doing was already enough of a risk.

Empty brows furrowed in the dim, as the Otsutsuki and God Tree continued their dire efforts.

[ O ]

A pair of hitodama-like orbs lingered near a disc set facing out towards the twilight void, the all-encompassing expanse that filled the furthest recesses of this shared plane. "Aadi, I'm-" "It's normal to be scared on your first time," the more experienced answered, "But don't worry. The God Tree wouldn't be capable of sending us to other realities, and not doing this, right?" A reluctant pause. "...Right," then with more certainty, "Right! Okay, let's do this."

The low embers shifted onto the azure plate. "Remember, we don't know how or if we'll be perceived." "Yeah," Eva's spectral form nodded, a pale fog in roughly the shape of a young woman, her soul mostly centered within. "I get it." There was a glow and the sudden rush of energy, then the two were gone.


	2. Chapter Two

Author's Note: To clarify any confusion about the Kaguya represented in this story, I am going off a theory presented in my other story, The Place Where Souls Collide. In it, the Rabbit Goddess tore her soul apart from her body, and this empty shell is what her sons and Naruto & Sasuke fought. The reason in doing this was to buy her more time against a parasite (one that affects both the physical body and chakra itself, and the theory is that the Black Zetsu is a self-aware manifestation of this parasitic tool) that was originally forced upon her by the other Otsutsuki (at least as a failsafe of sorts). Thus, her thoughts here are those of herself apart from its manipulation, hence the desire to protect those souls in the God Tree outside of simply what power they may provide (think spiritual energy from the soul as a component of chakra).

...

Author's Note: Clarification of Speaker Identity

**_God Tree Thinking/Telepathy_**

'_Kaguya Thinking/Telepathy_'

_Both (God Tree and Kaguya) Thinking/Telepathy_

'Character Thinking/Telepathy'

_._

] O [

He remembered first waking in this place, the confusion and the horror of it. **_You are awake._** A booming voice in his mind, with the multitude of thousands... Aadi had thought he'd been brought to the depths of Hell. _Calm yourself. You are in no danger__ here._ The voice had shifted - a woman now took precedence along with it. It took several moments for him to calm enough to think. 'Where am I? What is this...?'

He felt as though he had physical form, and yet Aadi could not move. His sensations were dulled, he was hardly even aware of what was around him... and he was blind? He could not see! _Calm yourself._ The request came again, and finally the young man realized there was only silence after it spoke. No chirping of insects, no gentle breeze, no sounds of bird or people or animals... nothing at all.

That was when he remembered that he had died.

And it was...

'You!?'

That couldn't be... the woman's voice was eerily familiar, and yet he didn't want to believe it could be so.

_You are correct._

Those words paralyzed him, and try as Aadi might, he could not bring himself to perceive what was around him. How could he be here, thinking, if he were dead? Just where was he? _Your soul has joined with the God Tree._ Now he understood. This woman... the Eternal Goddess, as they had called her. The Shinju's roots had rose up out of nowhere one day - no one had been safe. No one, except for her. He'd seen it himself after all. How it ignored her, and picked up all his friends and family.

Aadi's heart burned with pain. _They are safe._ 'Who... just _what_ are you!?' His soul protested, angered and crying out in frustration, fear, hate.

_I am not of your world, and the God Tree is in fact myself._ What? Did that mean she considered him a part of herself!?

_There are others of my kind. Those that would seek to do greater harm and enslave you, and all your people. They would seek to devour your very world. _

That didn't make any of this right. _They would devour your very__ souls._

'Uhm, okay that's pretty extreme and weird.' He gathered his thoughts before trying to respond, only to be met with the same problem of paralysis. _Speak with your mind. Focus._ 'Well, considering you were just responding to me thinking _without_ my having to do that...' _If you are to stay awake, it is a skill you'll__ need._ Aadi would have gulped were he capable. _This is temporary. You will either return to sleep, or choose to remain__ awake._ 'Why... are you giving me a choice?'

There was a pain root of his skull, and an uncomfortable sensation in his mind - the short and intense build of pressure, followed by relief and a cold shock, as if someone had just poured cool water over his head. Aadi saw images... others like the Goddess, massacring worlds and peoples that he had never seen before. And in every scene, there were those giant roots again and again. _They know nothing of love or kindness. Their goal is simply to utilize the physical and spiritual prowess of those they enslave, in order to strengthen themselves._ Now he saw the Forbidden Fruit, and the image of it being held by one of these other Gods.

_My goal is to find a way to end this, while preserving your souls and ultimately freeing you all._ It would be easier for her not to, Aadi recognized that much. But still... this was so sudden, and so much to take in. 'What about my family? My friends? You said they were safe.' _They are._ 'Prove it. Let me speak with them.' A brief silence followed. _Your stepbrother is the only one currently awake._ They'd been at odds for years. _If you insist, I will-_ 'No,' Aadi interjected, 'He's...' even in this state of being, Aadi felt as if his stomach churned. _I understand._ That guy... had become a monster. His family hadn't spoken to or of him in years.

_Aadi, you are wise beyond your years. It will take time for your soul to adjust, but if you will it so, I would like-_ 'Why are you doing this?'

His question apparently caught her off guard.

'You said the enemy would enslave us, but you haven't given us a chance to fight for ourselves, and you're doing the exact same damn thing!' His rage burned against her, and Aadi only _hoped_ that she could feel that.

_Your people... do not have the capacity to fight the enemy._ Like he'd believe that. _They use a form of energy, chakra, to reshape the world around__ themselves._ Again images flashed through Aadi's mind, and he understood. The things he saw... moons torn from the surface of worlds like it was nothing, flames, ice, lightning, and other natural energies spouting from the hands and the mere flicker of will from these beings... No, their technology would smolder and be whisked away in the face of such onslaughts.

_And I cannot do so on my own._ That piqued his curiosity, though Aadi kept his heart and wits on guard. _That is why, as souls become ready, I am rousing them and making the truth known. Many choose to return to sleep, and many have chosen to continue on in this existence._ Doubt still held strong in his heart. 'Why did you have to do it... like that?' The pain was too much, 'You couldn't have waited... for my sister to come home, or-!' _Aadi. Your world is one of thousands that the enemy has set it's sights upon. They must be stopped, for the sake of you, your sister, your family... Your world is not alone, and that is precisely__ why..._ Aadi noted that she couldn't seem to finish the thought.

'How did you get here?' There were so many questions, and he needed answers. How was he to make a decision about all of this? The gravity of it was unthinkable.

_That is a story for another time. Right now, you need to choose where your story will go._ It seemed that she could do whatever she wanted, but for some reason, the Goddess was showing such a kindness... Even after condoning such evil. The duplicity of it made his head hurt. _Will you return to rest, or remain as you are?_ How could he decide? _It is a process. And there is no finality in your answer now._ Did that mean there could be, later? 'Then you'll ask me again?' He needed to make sure. _Yes. You will know before answering it for the last time._

Aadi took his time in deep consideration. Ultimately, making sure his family was safe, finding answers, and the truth, took precedence over his hurt.

'I'll wake up.'


End file.
